The identity of a man killed in a fire in Grafton was released Wednesday while investigators continue to try to determine what caused the fire.

The identity of a man killed in a fire in Grafton was released Wednesday while investigators continue to try to determine what caused the fire.

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Updated: 6:23 PM EST Jan 13, 2016

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WEBVTT WMUR'S HEATHER HAMEL IS LIVE NOW WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. REPORTER: TOWNS PEOPLE SAY THE MAN WHO LIVED THERE, JOHN CONNELL, HAD BEEN HOLDING SOME CHURCH SERVICES THERE OVER THE YEARS BUT THE TOWN SAYS IT WASN'T A LEGITIMATE CHURCH AND IN RECENT DAYS THEY HAD HAD HAD MADE A MOVE TO TAKE THE BUILDING. A FIXTURE IN GRAFTON FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS DESTROYED B FIRE. >> THE FACT THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, OF COURSE NOTHING IS PERMANENT. REPORTER: THE CHURCH ON ROUTE 4 IS NOW THE SCENE OF AN INTENSE INVESTIGATION. >> THE MEDICAL EXAMINER WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY OUR MALE VICTIM, HIS NAME WAS JOHN CONNELL. HE WAS THE PASTOR HERE AND HE ALSO LIVED HERE. REPORTER: INVESTIGATORS AREN'T SAYING WHERE THE FIRE STARTED OR HOW, BUT AREN'T RULE ANYTHING OUT. CONNELL BOUGHT THE CHURCH IN 2010, ACCORDING TO TOWN OFFICIALS, WHO SAY HE FILED PAPERWORK TO MAKE IT A CHURCH. BUT WHEN IT DIDN'T MEET THE CRITERIA, HE TURNED THE PROPERTY OVER TO PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. A TOWN SELECTMAN SAYS TAXES WEREN'T BEING PAID AND AS OF LAST WEEK THEY STARTED THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE BUILDING. >> I THINK WHAT PEOPLE WERE FOLLOWING THIS CONTROVERSY IN TOWN AND MR. CONNELL OKAY, -- >> WE WERE IN THAT BUILDING FOR 22 YEARS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE OVER HERE. REPORTER: THE PASTOR OF MILL BROOK CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, NOW IN A NEW BUILDING ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD, SAYS HE HAD OFFERED THE CHURCH TO THE TOWN, BUT THEY DECLINED DUE TO STRUCTURAL CONCERNS. HE SAYS HE PREACHED MORE THAN 1,000 SERMONS THERE. AND THE FIRE IS TRULY DEVASTATING. >> SO, YES, VERY SAD TO WATCH THAT YESTERDAY. WE DIDN'T STAY TOO LONG, OBVIOUSLY NOTHING WE COULD DO AND IT WAS JUST TOO SAD TO HANG AROUND AND CONTINUE TO WATCH IT BURN. REPORTER: THE GRAFTON FIRE CHIEF SAYS AT THE PEAK OF THE FIRE TUESDAY HE THOUGHT THEY MAY NEED TO BRING IN AN EXCAVATOR TO TEAR THE BUILDING DOWN, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE BUILDING STANDING, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE

Investigation of fatal Grafton fire continues

The identity of a man killed in a fire in Grafton was released Wednesday while investigators continue to try to determine what caused the fire.